Young Tsang Brothers Publish Writing Guide | Schools

Sometimes writing is really a family affair.

With the help of their mother and aunt, two young brothers from Los Altos recently wrote and published an educational children’s book, “There’s Something Fishy About Writing.”

Invited by their parents to share their experiences on a family trip to Hong Kong, Alex and Thomas Tsang realized that a metaphor had helped them improve their writing – and they wanted to help other young children to do the same. . This led them to write “There’s Something Fishy About Writing,” a children’s book that emphasizes persistence while teaching students the proper structure of the essay.

Cupertino middle school students Alex, 11, and Thomas, 13, said they had difficulty writing at school. When planning their two trials, Alex thought about the fish metaphor, which became the main focus of their book. Thomas said the metaphor had helped him “learn to put paragraphs together, improve my writing structure and different techniques to improve my writing style,” he said.

The boys hope the metaphor helps young children understand the structure of a persuasive essay by connecting hooks and writing hooks.

“Once you use something in a fun way, you don’t forget,” their mom Wynnyee Tsang said.

Wynnyee helped the boys plan the book and publish it earlier this year. They also got help from their aunt, Cindy Tse, who did the illustrations. Wynnyee said Tse’s designs “brought (the story) to life.”

Family was crucial during the writing process, and Wynnyee encouraged aspiring writers to use loved ones as a resource. She advised them to “enlist your family” because “they definitely have a different perspective on everything. “

She added that it can be difficult for children to learn to write – and even harder for parents to help them.

“You are doing your best,” said Wynnyee, “and whatever happens after that you try to accept it.”

She hopes to pass this state of mind on to her children. During the writing process, she said they started to “put some ideas on paper and let them write freely first.”

Because it can be difficult for children to focus on difficult tasks, Wynnyee said it’s important for her boys to have an “open mind.”

She also offered advice to parents who want to encourage their own children to thrive.

“Life is not full of success,” she says. “It’s what you do with setbacks, and how you overcome them, that makes you a better person.”

The self-published “There’s Something Fishy about Writing” is available on Amazon.

For more information on Tsangs and their book, visit smartalextips.com.